Action Alerts

Prohibit the interstate transport of horses in cramped double-deck trailers.

OAA Program Area: Equines

Action Level: Federal

The bipartisan Horse Transportation Safety Act (H.R. 3623) has been reintroduced in the US House of Representatives. Led by Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Dina Titus (D-NV), this legislation would ban the interstate transport of horses in double-deck trailers, which are designed for shorter animals.

Double-deck trailers do not provide adequate headroom for horses to stand upright. The US Department of Agriculture, in fact, recognizes the inhumane nature of transporting horses using double-deck trailers, noting that these vehicles "do not provide adequate headroom for equines" and that trailers with "two or more permanent levels" simply cannot "accommodate adult equines."

No horse should be forced to endure a long journey stuck in a cramped position that can cause permanent injury. These trailers, when crammed with horses, are also unsafe on the road; they have been involved in several horrific traffic accidents, resulting in severe horse injuries and deaths.

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives and urge them to cosponsor and support these bills using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative _____,

As your constituent, I urge you to support and co-sponsor the bipartisan Horse Transportation Safety Act (H.R. 3623). This bill prohibits the interstate transport of horses in cramped double-deck trailers, creating more humane standards for horse care. 

Double-deck trailers are designed for livestock such as cattle and hogs, not horses. Hauling horses in these vehicles is dangerous due to the lack of headroom for horses to stand upright. Horrific traffic accidents involving these trailers have been documented, resulting in severe horse injuries and even death.

The average double-deck trailer ceiling height is anywhere from 4 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 11 inches. Without proper headspace, horses simply cannot balance themselves in moving vehicles. Passing this bill would improve highway safety and the welfare of American horses.

I look forward to hearing your response on this critical piece of legislation.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the United States for human consumption, as well as the export of live horses for the same purpose. 

OAA Program Area: Equines

Action Level: Federal

Every year, thousands of American horses endure long, cruel transports across our borders to be slaughtered for human consumption. Horses are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water, or rest in crowded trucks. They are often seriously injured or killed in transit. The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the United States for human consumption, as well as the export of live horses for the same purpose.

Horses are skittish by nature, which makes accurate pre-slaughter stunning difficult. As a result, horses often endure repeated blows and sometimes remain conscious during dismemberment. Before the last domestic plant closed in 2007, the USDA documented in the slaughter pipeline rampant cruelty violations and severe injuries to horses, including broken bones protruding from their bodies, eyeballs hanging by a thread of skin, and gaping wounds.

The USDA documented that 92.3% of horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and can live productive lives. These horses would be sold, donated, or otherwise rehomed; however, kill buyers outbid legitimate horse owners and rescues at auctions, robbing horses of ever having a second chance at life.

The US Food and Drug Administration bans the presence of 379 common equine drugs in animals slaughtered for human consumption. However, there is no procedure in place to ensure that American horses killed for human consumption are free of these FDA-banned substances. When horses are sold, there is no required transfer of information regarding the substances they received during their lifetime. Therefore, there is no mechanism in place to ensure that horses frequently bought at auction by kill buyers have not been given dangerous substances before they become part of the food chain.

A study published in May 2010 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology found that substances routinely given to American horses cause dangerous adverse effects in humans. One commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, phenylbutazone (bute), can be lethal if ingested by people. The most serious impact of bute on humans is bone-marrow toxicity, leading to agranulocytosis (failure to produce white blood cells, causing chronic infections) and aplastic anemia (insufficient production of red and white blood cells and platelets). Similar blood conditions, such as leucopenia, hemolytic anemia, pancytopenia, and thrombocytopenia, may also occur in people who consume bute. The National Toxicology Program has determined that bute is a carcinogen. For these reasons, the FDA has banned this substance from being consumed by humans.

Nearly all racehorses in America are treated with bute. Racehorses are frequently shipped to Mexico and Canada to be slaughtered for human consumption when their performance flags, often within days or weeks of receiving their last dose of bute. Horsemeat may be ground together with beef and sold without proper identification, so consumers could be unwittingly ingesting banned substances, with serious health implications.

The European Union has a policy prohibiting the importation of meat from any horse that has ever received bute. Nitrofurazone, the most common wound ointment given to American horses, is also prohibited for use on any horse whose meat is shipped to EU countries.

The United States needs to shut down the horse slaughter channels that currently put consumers at risk and ensure that meat from American horses does not jeopardize the health and lives of consumers.

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives and urge them to cosponsor and support these bills using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your Ohio family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative _____,

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to cosponsor the bipartisan Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) and join with the over 80 percent of Americans who want to see horses protected from slaughter.

Every year, thousands of American horses endure long, cruel transports across our borders to be slaughtered for human consumption. The abuse and suffering inflicted by the predatory horse slaughter industry are well documented. Kill buyers typically obtain healthy horses to send to slaughter, often from unsuspecting owners who believe their horse is going to a good home.

Once in the slaughter pipeline, horses endure long and grueling journeys to slaughter plants in Canada or Mexico with little to no rest, water, or food. At the slaughterhouse, horses are forced into the "kill box," where they may endure repeated blows to the head and neck before being rendered unconscious. Due to their instinctive fight-or-flight reflex, some horses are inadequately stunned and remain conscious during butchering.

Furthermore, there is currently no system in the United States to track medications given to horses to ensure that horse meat is safe for human consumption. Horses are not raised for food and routinely receive medications and chemical treatments (e.g., phenylbutazone, fly spray, and dewormers) that contain toxic ingredients and are expressly prohibited by the FDA for use in meat products.

The bipartisan SAFE Act would prevent horse slaughter plants from re-opening in the United States while also ensuring that American horses are not exported to Canada or Mexico for the same purpose. I hope you will work to protect these beloved animals from cruelty by cosponsoring this widely supported legislation.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

H.R. 712 would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment act to expand the data collected around child abuse cases to include information about animal abuse further creating a better foundation for child abuse screening, prevention, and treatment programs and ultimately provide substantial benefits to children, families, and pets. 

OAA Program Area: Pet Protection

Action Level: Federal 

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association over 70% of the population owns a pet. Imagine if even half of those households were also abusing those pets and subsequently the children in the home. The first indicator could be a bit of suspicion from an animal cruelty officer responding to a call at the home. Decades of research and practical experience have established something called The Link. 

The Link, more simply stated, is the phenomenon referring in which violence towards animals and violence towards people are often interconnected occurrences. Data collected internationally and nationally find the same thing: a correlation between child and abuse. Noted in the NIH article Understanding the Link, since the 1980s there has been an over 80% overlap in homes that have had reports of animal cruelty and child abuse. Currently there is a lack of data collection around animal abuse especially in relation to being a risk factor of indication for potential child abuse in the household. 

H.R. 712 would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment act to expand the data collected around child abuse cases to include information about animal abuse further creating a better foundation for child abuse screening, prevention, and treatment programs and ultimately provide substantial benefits to children, families, and pets. Allowing the information to be included as a predicative factor stressor for abuse in the reports used by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. Introduced by Representatives Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Julia Brownley (D-CA) with the understanding that it is critical to pay attention to animal abuse in terms as a risk factor within the family to more accurately examine trends in child abuse and neglect.

According to the Animal Welfare Institute “...an article published in the FBI’s Law Enforcement Bulletin entitled The Link Between Animal Cruelty and Human Violence acknowledges animal cruelty as a form of domestic violence and makes clear the connection between animal abuse in the home and child abuse, and the likelihood of ongoing negative effects.” Read the Full Fact Sheet on H.R. 712

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives right now, and urge them to cosponsor these bills using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative ______ ,

As your constituent, I am writing today to urge you to cosponsor and support the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act. H.R. 712. 

H.R. 712 would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment act to expand the data collected around child abuse cases to include information about animal abuse further creating a better foundation for child abuse screening, prevention, and treatment programs and ultimately provide substantial benefits to children, families, and pets. 

There is a consistent, coorelated, link in reports of homes with animal abuse and child abuse or neglect. Often times, this data is being collected by two different agencies minimizing the impact for potential screening, prevention, and proactive treatment to protect children and animals. 

I urge you to support H.R. 712, and I look forward to hearing back from you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

In 2024, over 100 bills and amendments were introduced in Congress with varying goals of weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including decreasing funding, removing protections, and overall undermining the Act. Many of those bills and amendments will be reintroduced this year. An additional Act facing weakening measures is the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Both work to provide safeguards and protections in legislation to animals who cannot protect themselves.

OAA Program Area: Wildlife Protection

Level: Federal 

We understand that unlike our other action alerts this one does not have a specific bill or resolution to address. Due to the sheer volume of bills and attacks on the ESA, it would be overwhelming to ask you, a concerned and active voice to review and address each one. That is why we’re using an umbrella approach and asking that you do the same with your state Representatives and members of the Senate.   

The ESA, as we know it, came to be a bill in 1973 following years of various acts protecting animals on a case by case basis. This came shortly after the Environmental Protection Agency was formed leading to other environmentally focused bills and acts such as the Clean Water Act. A full historic overview can be found here in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Website. 

It’s easy to think of exotic animals or notably significant species when it comes to the ESA. What’s impactful and intentional with this act is that it covers all animals, fish, insects, plants, fauna, anything that is impactful to the overall ecosystems and habitats of the environments they are a part of when they are in times of noticeable risk or danger of becoming extinct. This is so vital because each organism plays an important role in their ecosystems and habitats regardless of whether or not we as humans notice said impact daily. Eventually, we will notice, to our own detriment, their impact. 

While Ohio itself is not known for marine mammals, MMPA is incredibly important as it provides safeguards to marine mammals nationwide and worldwide. Protecting in turn their ecosystems and habitats which ultimately impacts us as humans. The MMPA was enacted in the 1970s with bipartisan support. Utilizing three federal entities to help enforce their policies and regulations, the impact of MMPA is more widespread than we realize. For a full list and outline of the MMPA’s functions and guidelines visit MMPA. 

What You Can Do: 

Contact your U.S. Congress members right now, and urge them to fight and push against any bills that would weaken the ESA and MMPA using the sample letter below. You can find your congress members here. Please send to both your federal Senators and House Representative. 

2) NOAA

We understand that unlike our other action alerts this one does not have a specific bill or resolution to address. Due to the concentrated efforts to undermine these critical, crucial, and effective pieces of legislation and operations, it would be overwhelming to ask you, a concerned and active voice to review and address each one. That is why we’re using an umbrella approach and asking that you reach out with a concentrated message to your federal Representatives and members of the Senate.

Level: Federal 

Although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is more commonly thought of in parallel with weather alerts and warnings, it also holds a great responsibility within our environment and natural habitat. While we may not think of our natural living spaces as our habitats, it is and the wildlife and nature within those habitats deserve to function as naturally and safely as possible. Holding its start in a bipartisan path, the value of this agency and its operations were once seen as valuable, effective, and necessary. Your voice can help ensure they stay that way. 

Until recently, we had taken NOAA for granted. NOAA provides us with accurate weather forecasts, storm alerts, climate information, and so much more beyond. They monitor ocean health, mitigate threats to water mammals such as whales and dolphins, and provide other professions the data and services of NOAA. Check out this powerful summary from NOAA on what they do “NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep the public informed of the changing environment around them.” Their work is vital. 

Currently numerous steps are being taken to dismantle this agency. Steps include budget cuts, layoffs, and attempts to privatize NOAA's efforts. The consequences of these actions could be felt on a local to global scale from losing public access to weather alerts, losing accurate data relied on by farmers and first responders, protections for marine mammals and other wildlife - all would be impacted and in turn impact fishing communities, habitats, and ecosystems.

We understand it is difficult to visualize the depth of responsibility and consequence this NOAA holds. It is set up in a way so that the public not only has a voice, but access to staff and information. When that is taken away, our resource to remain knowledgeable, informed, and protective of the environment and wildlife is also removed. We may not immediately feel the impact, but we are part of the ecosystem and will ultimately experience the consequences.

What You Can Do: 

Contact your U.S. Congress members right now, and urge them to fight and push against these steps using the sample letter below. You can find your congress members here. Please send to both your federal Senator and House Representative. 

Take Action:

Dear Congress Member  ______ ,

As your constituent, I urge you to strongly oppose the dismantling of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Mankind is but one part in our ecosystem and these administrations are put into place to help ensure all pieces of the ecosystem can exist, flourish, and survive. The impacts of dismantling and undermining these systems have a waterfall effect of not only affecting the immediate environment and wildlife, but also those who depend on the resources such as specific workforces, communities, and eventually your constituents.

3) Mink Farms 

ACTION LEVEL: Federal

Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) has introduced a bill (H.R.2185) that would phase out mink farming in the US over one year and establish a grant program to reimburse mink farmers for the full value of their farm so that they’re able to transition to another industry. This new bill seeks to address the public health and animal welfare crisis created by farming mink for their fur.

4) Non-animal testing

Level: Federal 

Sponsored by Representative Ken Calvert [R-CA-41], H.R. 1291, or the Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences Act of 2025 known as the HEARTS Act of 2025, works to amend the Public Health Service Act to further ensure non animal methods are prioritized in proposals for all research to be conducted or supported by the National Institute of Health wherever applicable and feasible. It will additionally establish the National Center for Alternative to Animals in Research and Testing.

State bills:

1) Wildlife Killing Contests

ACTION LEVEL: State

Wildlife-killing contests are primitive and barbaric events, resulting in the senseless deaths of tens of thousands of wild animals. Sadly, thousands of these events occur across the United States every year. In Ohio, coyotes are targeted because the Ohio Division of Wildlife allows an open season on hunting them.  In fact, coyote hunting – by any means – is legal year-round in Ohio. 

Take Action:

Dear Chief Wecker, Division of Wildlife, ODNR:

Wildlife-killing contests are primitive and barbaric events, resulting in the senseless deaths of tens of thousands of wild animals. Sadly, thousands of these events occur across the United States every year. In Ohio, coyotes are targeted because the Ohio Division of Wildlife allows an open season on hunting them.

• Wildlife-killing contests are brutal spectacles that sacrifice innocent animals for the sake of entertainment. Even many hunters have condemned them as unethical.

• There is no concept of “fair chase” during these shocking and senseless competitions.

• A wide variety of tactics are used to attract, manipulate, or confuse wildlife.

• Animals are often baited or lured toward the hunters with electronic calling devices that mimic the distress calls of wounded young.

• Dependent young may be orphaned during contests and left to die from starvation, predation, or exposure. 

• Killing contests conflict with modern principles of wildlife management.

• Research has shown that killing contests do not decrease coyote numbers. On the contrary, they often increase coyote populations by destabilizing family structures, which tends to increase reproductive rates.

• Studies also have demonstrated that randomly killing native carnivores does not protect livestock or game species, which contest participants often cite as justification for their actions.

I respectfully request that the ODNR Division of Wildlife bans the practice of wildlife-killing contests in the state of Ohio.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

We understand that unlike our other action alerts this one does not have a specific bill or resolution to address. Due to the concentrated efforts to undermine these critical, crucial, and effective pieces of legislation and operations, it would be overwhelming to ask you, a concerned and active voice to review and address each one. That is why we’re using an umbrella approach and asking that you reach out with a concentrated message to your state Representatives and members of the Senate.   

OAA Program Area: Wildlife Protection

Level: Federal 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is more commonly thought of in parallel with weather alerts and warnings, it also holds a great responsibility within our environment and natural habitat. While we may not think of our natural living spaces as our habitats, it is and the wildlife and nature within those habitats deserve to function as naturally and safely as possible. Holding its start in a bipartisan path, the value of this agency and its operations were once seen as valuable, effective, and necessary. Your voice can help ensure they stay that way. 

Until recently, we had taken the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for granted. They provide us with accurate weather forecasts, storm alerts, climate information, and do so much more beyond that scope! They monitor ocean health, mitigate threats to water mammals such as whales and dolphins, and many other fields of the workforce depend on the data and services of the NOAA. Check out this powerful summary from NOAA on what they do “NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep the public informed of the changing environment around them.” Their work is vital. 

Currently numerous steps are being taken to dismantle this agency. Steps including budget cuts, layoffs, and attempts to privatize (often leading to monetized) their efforts. The consequences of these actions could be felt on a local to global scale from losing public access to weather alerts, losing accurate data relied on by farmers and first responders, protections for marine mammals and other wildlife would be impacted and in turn impact fishing communities, habitats, and ecosystems. 

We understand it is difficult to visualize the depth of responsibility and consequence this agency holds. It is set up in a way so that the public not only has a voice, but access to them. When that is taken away our resource to remain knowledgeable, informed, and protective of the environment and wildlife is also removed. We may not immediately feel the impact, but we are part of said ecosystems and habitats. 

What You Can Do: 

Contact your U.S. Congress members right now, and urge them to fight and push against these steps using the sample letter below. You can find your congress members here. Please send to both your senators and house representatives. 

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Congress members about these important and consequential issues. 

Take Action:

Dear Congress Member  ______ ,

As your constituent, I urge you to strongly oppose the dismantling of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Public access to the data and information provided by the NOAA is critical and crucial to us as a species as well the wellbeing of our hard working farmers, fisherman, emergency responders, and many others. 

Mankind is but one part in our ecosystem and these administrations are put into place to help ensure all pieces of said ecosystem can exist, flourish, and survive. The impacts of dismantling and undermining these systems have a waterfall effect of not only affecting the immediate environment and wildlife, but also those who depend on the resources from them, specific workforces, communities, and eventually your constituents. 

We need these systems to protect the web of life that helps us and our economy thrive. I ask that you reject any legislation or actions that seek to undermine the NOAA. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

OAA PROGRAM AREA: Wildlife Protection

ACTION LEVEL: Federal

Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) has introduced a bill that would phase out mink farming in the US over one year and establish a grant program to reimburse mink farmers for the full value of their farm so that they’re able to transition to another industry. This new bill seeks to address the public health and animal welfare crisis created by farming mink for their fur. Facing an evolution over the years this bill is named appropriately as the bill To protect public health and human safety by prohibiting the farming of mink for their fur, to compensate farmers as they transition out of the industry, and for other purposes; H.R.2185

Expanding upon the Mink VIRUS Act (H.R. 3783) introduced in 2023, this bill looks to impress the urgency of minimizing this practice. Not only are farmed mink highly susceptible to COVID-19, but they are also capable of transmitting the virus to humans. A growing body of science such as this study from the National Library of Medicine shows how mink are particularly high-risk “mixing vessels” for producing dangerous variants of respiratory diseases that are potentially transmissible to humans. Farmed mink-to-human transmission of the virus has been reported in at least six countries so far, including the U.S. Moreover, transmission of COVID-19 from fur-farmed mink to humans could introduce new variants, undermining the effectiveness of vaccines. Mink are also known to carry and transmit the H5-N1 virus. This ability to share viruses to humans is known as zoonotic transmission and minks are especially transmissible consider their proximity to humans and their stressful living conditions making them more susceptible to these viruses. 

Fur farms house mink in crowded, cruel environments that create an ideal setting for pathogens to circulate. Wire cages are packed together and may be stacked on top of each other so that waste falls on the animals below. These animals are highly stressed due to the miserable conditions and are thus more susceptible to infection.

Every year at U.S. fur farms, more than a million mink are killed—typically by gassing to avoid damage to their pelts— for no purpose other than to provide trim on coats and poms on hats, purses or gloves. They suffer immensely on these factory farms, where they typically live in horrendous conditions, cramped into small wire cages that deny them the ability to express their natural behaviors such as running, digging and swimming.

This level of zoonotic disease risk for the sake of fur fashion simply cannot be justified.

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives right now, and urge them to cosponsor and support the H.R.2185 to protect both mink and the public using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative ______,

As a constituent, I want to communicate my deep concern about COVID-19 and avian flu outbreaks on mink farms and urge you to cosponsor the H.R.2185 - To protect public health and human safety by prohibiting the farming of mink for their fur, to compensate farmers as they transition out of the industry, and for other purposes.

Farms that raise mink for their pelts present a clear, immediate danger to public health. A growing body of science shows how, due to their lung physiology, mink are particularly high-risk “mixing vessels” for producing dangerous variants of respiratory diseases that are potentially transmissible to humans. These fur farms house mink in crowded, cruel environments that create an ideal setting for pathogens to circulate and threaten to usher in the next pandemic.

Not only are farmed mink highly susceptible to disease, but they are also capable of transmitting the virus to humans. For example, COVID-19 infected millions of farmed mink, and there were several recorded instances of the mink passing a mutated form of this virus back to humans. 

H.R. 2185 is an opportunity to address this public health crisis by phasing out mink farming in the US and establishing a grant program to reimburse mink farmers for the full value of their farm. The mink farming industry, already struggling due to a decreased demand for fur in recent years, has been reliant on taxpayer-funded subsidies and relief dollars. This grant program would provide mink farmers with the resources to transition to other industries that are more financially sustainable and do not threaten public health.

I urge you to support H.R. 2185, and I look forward to hearing back from you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

Support the Prioritization of Non Animal Methods in Research and Testing

OAA Program Area: Animal Testing

Level: Federal 

Sponsored by Representative Ken Calvert [R-CA-41] H.R. 1291, or Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences Act of 2025 known as the HEARTS Act of 2025, works to amend the Public Health Service Act to further ensure non animal methods are prioritized in proposals for all research to be conducted or supported by the National Institute of Health wherever applicable and feasible. It will additionally establish the National Center for Alternative to Animals in Research and Testing and for other unidentified purposes. 

This bill looks to expand upon the Public Health Service Act which was originally enacted in 1944. Amendments to bills and acts are an important part of helping us grow and progress as a nation as time moves forward. This act holds an outline for a variety of health related services and process. This Act looks to help encourage progress through alternative methods outside of animal testing. 

In 2023 the USDA reported over 774,000 animals used for testing purposes by USDA and federally registered facilities.  774,065 animals to be exact which surpasses the population of all but three individual counties of Ohio or the whole population of Wyoming. While the HEARTS Act is not looking to fully eliminate the use of animals in testing, it is looking to minimize that number whenever feasible and possible. Animal testing takes place in a variety of sectors from pharmaceuticals and medicine to basic research, chemical testing and cosmetics. This is so important to factor because testing and research include colleges and universities. Ohio alone has 142 higher education institutions, while not all of them use animals in their facilities for research purposes, a large portion including OSU do include animals in their research. These include rats, mice, invertebrates such as snakes, and for some any approved testing species by form. 

Science, technology, genetics and countless other areas of science have benefited from animal testing and research in the past, but now thanks to those previous methods we are able to move forward with non animal methods of testing and research. In turn, protect thousands of animals from harsh, unnatural conditions that prohibit their natural instincts and behaviors as well expose them to, at times, potentially fatal circumstances. 

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives right now, and urge them to cosponsor and support the H.R.2185 to protect both mink and the public using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative ______,

As a constituent, I urge you to support the HEARTS Act of 2025. Over the years, the Public Health Service Act has seen a variety of acts improving its purpose through progress. Now is the time to act on behalf of testing and researching animals within our nation. 

In 2023 there were a reported 774,065 animals of a varying species utilized in testing and research according to the USDA. That equates to more than the state population of Wyoming. Testing and research exposes a variety of animals from wildlife to domestic animals to potentially fatal conditions. This act would encourage researchers and testing practices to utilize non animal methods first. 

Testing and research is used in a variety of sectors from pharmaceuticals, medicine, cosmetics, and even chemical testing. Our state alone has numerous colleges and universities who utilize animal testing but this Act would create an enhanced environment of critical thinking to look for the best non animal method in their studies. 

I urge you to support H.R. 1291 also known as the HEARTS Act of 2025 to help minimize the lives of animals used in testing and research. 

Sincerely,

Your name

Your mailing address

Your email

The FDA Modernization 3.0 Act (S. 355) would facilitate the development of testing methods that reduce or replace the use of animals in nonclinical testing with more technology based forms of testing. 

OAA PROGRAM AREA: Animal Testing

ACTION LEVEL: Federal

The FDA’s plan is supported FDA Modernization Act 3.0, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rand Paul (R-KY), John Kennedy (R-LA),  Angus King (I-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Roger Marshal (R-KS),  that would ensure that safer, faster, and more ethical drug development becomes the new normal—not just an exception.

According to HSUS, about 50 million animals, ranging from rodents and monkeys to cats and dogs, are used by American researchers in experiments every year. This long-standing statutory requirement is cruel, expensive, and time-consuming.

The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 was signed into law in December 2022, eliminating the animal testing requirement and empowering researchers to employ less harmful or non-animal methods for human-use drugs, such as cell-based arrays, organ chips, computer modeling, and bioprinting. However, additional clarity is needed for these approaches to be accepted by FDA and utilized by drug developers.

S .355 would facilitate the development of testing methods that reduce or replace the use of animals in nonclinical testing. In addition, this bill would require the FDA to establish a process to qualify nonclinical testing methods and expedite drug applications that incorporate such approaches, such as: 

AI-Powered Toxicity Models that allow artificial intelligence can simulate drug responses in humans with greater precision than animal studies

Human Organoids & Organ-on-a-Chip Systems which utilize lab-grown mini-organs mimic human biology, offering a more accurate window into drug effects.

Real-World Human Data which reviews and applies safety data from international markets helps skip redundant animal trials.

Supporting the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 (S .355) is supporting a bipartisan effort to facilitate the development, qualification, and adoption of testing methods that reduce or replace the use of animals in nonclinical testing. We have the technology to change and save research animal lives, and this bill will take an important step in doing so.

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Senator right now, and urge them to cosponsor these bills using the sample letter below. You can find your Senators here.

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Senators about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Senator ______ ,

As your constituent, I am writing today to urge you to cosponsor and support the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 (S. 355). This bipartisan legislation will end needless suffering from animal testing by utilizing alternative humane technologies.

S. 355 would facilitate the development of testing methods that reduce or replace the use of animals in nonclinical testing. In addition, this bill would require the FDA to establish a process to qualify nonclinical testing methods and expedite drug applications that incorporate such approaches - many of which are already proving to do well in improved accuracy, cutting costs, expediting development timelines, and sparing thousands of animals from testing related to research. 

The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 was signed into law in December 2022, eliminating the animal testing requirement and empowering researchers to employ less harmful or non-animal methods for human-use drugs such as cell-based arrays, organ chips, computer modeling, and bioprinting. However, additional clarity is needed for these approaches to be accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and utilized by drug developers. 

I urge you to support S .355, and I look forward to hearing back from you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

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H.R. 1934 introduced by Representative Ted Lieu [R-CA-36] proposes to amend the Endangered Species Act in an effort to prohibit taking a trophy from any endangered or threatened species within or to import said trophies from such species outside of the United States. Such a bill would in theory minimize hunting purely for the trophy reward such as antlers, hide, hooves, horns, etc which mainly relate to species on the threatened and endangered lists.

OAA Program Area: Exotic Animals

Level: Federal

Cleverly referred to as the ProTECT act of 2025 to emphasize the protection of Threatened and Endangered Creatures, this bill will amend the stronghold Endangered Species Act of 1973. As a native Ohioan, when we think of trophy animals, big game like lions, tigers, and rhinos come to mind. While not locally available, they are made available as canned hunting (see paragraph below) happens within United States with animals discarded from zoos and exotic underground smuggling.  While tons exist in Texas and every state, they are also here in Ohio. This bill would not impact Ohio alone as it would be a national bill prohibiting the taking of a trophy of any kind from a threatened or endangered species. 

Annually more than a quarter of a million animals are killed for trophies. World Protection Animal US provided information from a multi-year window outlining which species and common practices within this hobby fueled industry. One such practice is known as canning: canning is raising a trophy animal to be accustomed to humans then enclose them with a hunter during a feeding time or other common day occurrence to guarantee the trophy will be acquired. This is fairly common with lions and lion cubs. 

The United States alone accounts for 71% of the trophy import demand with primary import partners being Canada and Africa according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. That number does not include the trophy demand within the states itself. In 2016, Florida received backlash for the deaths of 36 lactating female black bears during a statewide sporting event that also saw 306 black bears hunted and killed in just two days. The black bear is a commonly sought non-exotic trophy, with 32 states annually hunting them for sport mostly in the Autumn, when they’re preparing for hibernation. Wisconsin is by far the most devious state when it comes to their black bear tactics, in that they bait train them for 180 days prior to the hunting season. While black bears may not be viewed as exotic these tactics are used alongside canning techniques as well for exotics. 

The obtaining of trophies from endangered and threatened species is a hobby based industry.  In some spaces, these trophies are not obtained morally or ethically within the sport of hunting. Just as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) works to protect nature, environment, and humans as an interconnected whole, this amendment to the ESA  will only help to further that goal. 

What You Can Do:

Contact your U.S. Representatives right now, and urge them to cosponsor and support the H.R. 1934 or the ProTECT Act of 2025 to amend the Endangered Species Act using the sample letter below. You can find your Representatives here.

Share this Action Alert on your social media to raise awareness, educate, and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to contact their U.S. Representatives about these important bills!

Take Action:

Dear Representative ______,

As a constituent, I strongly encourage you to support the ProTECT Act of 2025, otherwise known as H.R. 1934.  

As an amendment to the Endangered Species Act, it looks to strengthen the natural harmony and balance within natural species and humans. Currently the United States is responsible for 71% of imported animal trophies and over 125,000 animal trophies within the states itself. As you may be aware, trophies are acquired through the killing of said animals and not always through sportsmen like hunting. 

Tactics such as canning and baiting are utilized to help build a sort of familiarity between humans and the targeted animals, sometimes even putting other animals in harm’s way. This is far from hunting. 

Help protect the most vulnerable animals by supporting the H.R. 1934. 

Sincerely,

Your name

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